Welcome to Spiritual Boot Camp, Cadet
“Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” – Isaiah 30:21
If you want to know why God brings certain trials into your life, just ask Him. Or, you could ask yourself this: As a Christian, what am I not that great at? Is my faith flimsy? Do I often feel like my future is hopeless? Do I fall for the enemy’s lies too easily? If we’re honest about which area of our spiritual lives we need more training in, we can usually figure out why an “obstacle” has been put in our path… once we accept that God has just enlisted us for basic training! So, let’s talk about 2 really common growth opportunities that God uses to torture (teach) us with…
1. The “Perfect” Thing that Never Happened
Nothing feels worse than when something comes into our lives that we see as perfect, and just like that, it falls through. It’s hard to accept, but this is where the lesson is! When this happens to us, God is saying to trust that He knows the desires of our hearts, and believe that He’s working on something even more perfect. “But how could anything be better than this?!” We get so obsessed and disappointed over what didn’t work out, that we lose focus and start to backslide into hopelessness. During these times, instead of brooding, we must remember that God is working all things for our good. In the waiting, we must seek Him first and not get lost trying to figure out plans that are being crafted by forces beyond our comprehension! I have heard stories of job loss that led to a better opportunity and higher salary… or stories of divorce that left a person heart broken, but led to finding true, soulmate love when the time was right. If it didn’t work out, it wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t meant to be.
2. The People Who Push Us to the Edge
God will often bring to us people we need in order to strengthen our relationship with Him. Trust that it’s going to be a boundary-pusher and a belief-challenger, but stay in the obstacle course here… why do this to us? The answer can be found by reflecting on the ways that we’re being pushed, and remaining open to where it may take us:
? If you meet some wolves in sheep’s clothing who you didn’t recognize until you were bitten, maybe God is presenting an opportunity for you to learn how to better guard your heart, trust your instincts more, or to learn healthy boundary setting for yourself… In order to help you become strong, confident, unafraid to speak up for yourself, and to stand up for what is right!
? If a person who has a different set of beliefs enters your life, maybe it’s to teach you patience and tolerance… Because God is going to bring you something that your heart desires, which will require these virtues!
? If you meet someone who is hard-headed or closed off toward you— an easy person to walk away from— maybe you’re being called to learn why people push others away, and to gain a deeper understanding of how Jesus loved everyone; especially the 100th sheep. Perhaps you’re supposed to learn how to block out the voices of everyone around you telling you to give up, so that you can learn how to solely listen to God in these times… If you do, a beautiful and more intimate relationship with Him will unfold and lead to much more!
? On the other spectrum, maybe you meet someone who is easily likable, and your friends and family are all supportive, but you struggle with accepting love, or giving love back. Maybe in this lesson, God is calling you to block out the voice of the enemy telling you that you’re meant to be isolated, and instead seek wisdom and truth about who God says you are, and who He called you to be… Because you’re about to be handed your true mission in life, but He needs it to start with you knowing who you are through His eyes!
? If you have an uninspiring manager at work and you’re frustrated because you know you could be a better leader, maybe it’s time to conquer your fears and step into a management role yourself… One that God is preparing you for through this lesson!
Spiritual boot camp can feel like hell is reaching into our lives and throwing mud on the sunshine, but the best way to keep trudging through is to try and see the “why,” and the “where to after this” behind the challenges. So recap: Know what you’re not great at. See how the lesson can help you be better at it. Meditate on the many beautiful outcomes God may have in store for you once your training is complete. (It’s never really complete, but each phase prepares you for the next one, and so on!)
God is not sitting there watching us struggle… in fact, He has set up the entire plan for our lives and is watching us uncover each piece as we learn and grow. Just remember, He may have set the plan, but we do have some control over the unfolding because we can choose to turn away from the enemy, and seek Him with our whole heart. God has built in a purpose for everything along the way: to grow, to rest, to learn, to feel pain, to feel joy, to speak up, and to stay quiet. Trust his timing and move through each phase of basic training with grace. You’re doing better than you think. ?
Written by: Michelle TK